The modern development of hearing aids provided devices which could be disposed entirely within the ear. Earlier hearing aids, however, typically extended out of the inner ear to the auricle, that part of the external ear which is outside of the head. That extended portion of the hearing aid was quite visually evident, which was cosmetically and aesthetically undesirable. Electronic miniaturization has allowed in-the-ear hearing aid devices to be disposed within the ear's canal, greatly improving the sensitivity and sound quality of the devices, and importantly, also making them almost visually undetectable. Further progress in the art and science of improving the auditory abilities of the hearing impaired provided canal recontour medical procedures which allowed hearing aid devices to be even more deeply seated and snugly fitted, thereby further improving sound quality.
Concomitant with the progress in hearing aid technology have come problems in properly inserting and withdrawing devices which are becoming smaller and smaller. Many in-the-canal hearing aids extend no farther than the tragus (the cartilaginous projection anterior to the external opening of the ear) and smaller devices extend only to the bottom of the concha (external ear). The relatively larger early in-the-ear hearing aids were more easily inserted and withdrawn since they extended well past the tragus. However, newer hearing aids, and particularly the in-the-canal devices, are smaller and purposely designed not to extend out beyond the bottom of the concha. Thus, the proper insertion and withdrawal of such devices by the user can be extremely difficult. This may be a particular problem because the hearing impaired are often elderly and may have limited manual dexterity and tactile sensitivity. The difficulties of insertion and removal may even require assistance from another individual, which requirement obviously diminishes a user's independence. Furthermore, if tools or implements are employed, the hearing aid may be damaged or the ear itself may be injured.
One prior art approach to this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,904 to Harada which utilizes a hinged handle with a bulbous tip for easy grasping. The handle folds inwardly to decrease its outward projection from the hearing aid thereby rendering it less visible. To remove the hearing aid from the ear, the user grasps the bulbous portion of the handle and exerts an outward pull, thereby allowing the handle to pivot outwardly around its hinge. Thereafter, the handle may be regrasped and pulled to remove the attached hearing aid from the ear.
Harada's device is simple and operates effectively if the hearing aid is not very deeply seated in the ear. For deeply-seated in-the-canal devices, the stem of the handle would have to be quite long in order to extend outwardly from the ear a sufficient distance to be graspable. This would cause problems in stowing the handle in its folded position since the length of the stem is necessarily limited by the cross-sectional dimensions of the hearing aid. Further, the requirement that the handle be flipped up out of its folded position before it can be grasped requires a relatively high degree of touch sensitivity and manual dexterity which, as mentioned, elderly individuals may not possess. Another problem may arise on insertion and removal of the hearing aid using this invention. The handle, being a lever attached to a single fulcrum at the hearing aid body, when grasped and pulled or pushed may take the hearing aid out of its proper alignment, thereby causing pain or injury to the ear.
Another prior art approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,312 to Epley which utilizes a magnetic attachment apparatus comprising a magnetic coupling element attached to the hearing aid and an inserter probe for engagement of the coupling element. In one embodiment of Epley's device, a rotatable magnet with a dial for changing the polarity of the magnetic field is attached to the inserter probe. A holder ring, also having a magnet, is secured to the hearing aid. An orientation bar on the holder ring and an orientation slot on the inserter probe must be matched to provide proper orientation of the hearing aid within the ear. Upon insertion, the magnetic fields of the inserter probe and the holder ring must be such that there is attraction between the ring and the inserter. After coupling of the orientation bar and slot, the dial on the inserter probe is rotated so that the magnetic fields produce a neutral release position. Then the inserter probe can disengage from the holder ring and the inserter probe may be withdrawn from the ear leaving the hearing aid inside the ear. To remove the hearing aid, the inserter probe is inserted into the ear until its orientation slot engages the orientation bar, then the dial on the inserter bar is rotated to its attraction position so that the holder ring is now magnetically attached to the inserter probe and the hearing aid may be removed from the ear. In another embodiment of Eplye's invention, a bipolar magnetic attachment device provides a stronger magnetic attachment by utilizing a pair of curved magnetic stator plates with tapered extensions. A rotatable magnet is again deployed on the coupling element to provide variable polarity. When the proper electrical contacts are made, a magnetic circuit is completed and the coupling element and the attachment device are strongly held in magnetic attraction. Again, release of the attachment device is accomplished by setting the dial for a neutral magnetic field and removal of the hearing aid is achieved by rotating the dial to produce an attractive magnetic field. A cam and cam follower with support cylinder are provided for detent orientation of the magnet for attraction or release.
Eplye's device is relatively large, complex, and somewhat operationally complicated. This is partially attributable to the magnetic requirements of his direct contact hearing aid which utilizes electromagnetic sensors. The employment of a magnetic field alone to remove the hearing aid of necessity requires a relatively massive ferromagnetic metallic mass on the hearing aid in order to produce a sufficient field to pull the hearing aid out of the ear. This metallic mass undesirably contributes to the size and weight of the hearing aid. The relatively strong magnetic fields also potentially interfere with the proper electronic functions of the hearing aid and thus the components must be carefully shielded. The requirements of orienting the bar and slot for coupling the probe and rotating the dial to adjust the field make insertion and removal rather complicated. Again, elderly hearing aid users may have some difficulty with such procedures.
There is, therefore, a need for a small, simple yet effective apparatus capable of quickly and efficiently inserting and removing from the ear hearing aids and other like devices, particularly deeply-seated in-the-canal devices, and such an apparatus represents a significant advance in the art.